Man quits job after co-worker shows him noose, ladder set up as 'joke'

CHARLOTTE, NC (FOX 46 WJZY) - The hangman's noose is one of the most powerful, visual symbols directed against African-Americans. Seeing one tied up, hanging in rafters next to a ladder is not what you'd expect to see at work -- but that’s what Kelvin Gale saw when he walked into work Tuesday morning.

Gale was a newly-hired truck driver at Ms. Sybil's Seeding Company off Small Avenue in Concord, that is, until he quit that same day.

He said he was having a conversation with a co-worker about NFL players protesting racial inequality when that co-worker took him to the back of the shop to show him the noose and ladder display that, he said, the owners have set up as a joke.

"Everybody knows what it's for," Gale said.

You might think Gale is ready to unleash anger, rage and frustration with his former employer, but when we asked him if he was made at them, he said no.

“No. no, absolutely not. No. When it comes to race, color, whatever, it's always going to be uncomfortable but before it gets better it's going to be uncomfortable."

He doesn't believe his boss has hate in her heart, rather, poor taste in jokes. FOX 46 Charlotte went to get her side of the story, but the shop was closed for the day.

FOX 46 Charlotte called her to ask what the intentions are behind the display and she hung up without answering.

Less than 10 minutes later, a Concord police officer showed up, but after asking a few questions, he drove away.

"I'm not trying to wreck nobody's life," Gale said. "If you walked in my house and you seen that, you can be whatever color and it's like what is this?"

Gale said he doesn't want his former boss to lose business over this, he just wants her to understand where he's coming from.